Injury Among Home Care Workers in Washington State.

Home Care Aides (HCAs) have nearly four times the rate of injury as the general U.S. work force.

Using Record Linkage to Improve Race Data Quality for American Indians and Alaska Natives in Two Pacific Northwest State Hospital Discharge Databases.

Objective: To evaluate and adjust for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) racial misclassification in two hospital discharge datasets in the Pacific Northwest.

Data Sources/study Setting: Oregon (2010-2011) and Washington (2011) hospital discharge datasets were linked with the Northwest Tribal Registry (NTR), a registry of AI/AN individuals who accessed services at Indian health facilities in the Northwest.

Study Design: Record linkage was used to match state hospital records to the NTR.

Uncovering a missing demographic in trauma registries: epidemiology of trauma among American Indians and Alaska Natives in Washington State.

Background: The objectives of this study were to evaluate racial misclassification in a statewide trauma registry and to describe the epidemiology of trauma among the Washington American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population.

Methods: We performed probabilistic record linkage between the Washington Trauma Registry (2005-2009) and Northwest Tribal Registry, a dataset of known AI/AN. AI/AN patients were compared with caucasians on demographic, injury and clinical outcome factors.

The association of depression with diabetes management among urban American Indians/Alaska Natives in the United States, 2011.

Objective: To determine the relationship between depression and diabetes management among urban American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of medical records.

Setting: 33 Urban Indian Health Organizations that participated in the Indian Health Service Diabetes Care and Outcomes Audit.

Disparities in life expectancy of pacific northwest American Indians and Alaska natives: analysis of linkage-corrected life tables.

Objectives: American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) experience a high burden of mortality and other disparities compared with the general population. Life tables are an important population health indicator; however, federal agencies have not produced life tables for AI/ANs, largely due to racial misclassification on death certificates. Our objective was to correct this misclassification and create life tables for AI/ANs who resided in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.

Perspectives on self-management in multiple sclerosis: a focus group study.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the experience of self-management among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and gather their input to inform a self-management intervention. Twelve people with MS participated in focus groups in which they were asked open-ended questions about MS symptoms, challenges, overcoming challenges, symptom management, and treatment preferences. The results suggest four major themes: 1) "The Everyday Experience of MS," including comments about symptoms and their impact on functioning; 2) "Motivation for Self-Management," including descriptions of motivation originating from physical necessity, success with other management techniques, and external sources; 3) "Coping Strategies and Skills," including descriptions of changing behaviors, expanding social support networks, finding resources, utilizing medical treatment, and monitoring symptoms; and 4) "Vision for a Self-Management Intervention," including suggestions that an intervention be individualized, be motivating, and provide resources.

Aging with disability in the workplace.

Aging with disabilities, such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, and postpolio syndrome, can lead to barriers to participation, including employment barriers. Many individuals develop strategies for overcoming these barriers that may become less successful as they experience more secondary conditions concomitant with the aging process. Rehabilitation professionals can help to overcome barriers to workplace participation and should work with clients to enhance employment outcomes.